The Quiet Job at the Picnic

At the picnic, Sophie wanted to ring the dinner bell. Everyone would look toward her when the sound carried across the field. She asked the leader twice before lunch was ready.

The leader had already promised the bell to an older child. She asked Sophie to place cups beside the water jugs instead. Sophie carried the cups slowly. Nobody clapped when she set them in neat rows.

As the first families came to the table, a little boy could not reach the cups. Sophie handed him one and helped him find the cool water. An elderly lady needed room to set down her walking stick. Sophie moved a chair close to the end of the table.

Before long, Sophie was busy noticing people. She refilled the cup stack, wiped up a splash, and showed two visitors where to find the sandwiches. She heard the dinner bell, but she was too busy helping to wish she were holding it.

Later the leader thanked her for making the water table welcoming. Sophie looked at the empty cup packet and the damp cloth in her hand. The job had seemed small at first. Now she could remember several people it had helped.

Jesus teaches His followers to serve. We do not have to wait for a job everyone notices before doing something useful. A cup within reach, a chair in the right place, and a willing pair of hands can show real care.